Bob Katter and Jacqui Lambie blast electoral reform laws that ‘threatens’ minor parties

Two of Australia’s most colourful crossbench politicians have joined forces in protest at a planned overhaul they say will affect one in three voters.

Two colourful federal crossbench politicians have joined forces in protest over a planned overhaul of electoral laws they say will quash the democratic freedom of minor parties.

The federal government has this month introduced a raft of changes to the electoral act, which include making political parties meet a higher membership threshold.

The minimum membership of non-parliamentary parties would rise, if the law is passed, from 500 to 1500.

Queensland federal MP Bob Katter and Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie are on a unity ticket in protest of the law, saying it would “inhibit the ability to proceed with a robust and diverse parliament that debates the greatest issues and threats facing Australia’s democracy”.

The ability for a federal politician to register a political party without the need for members won’t be affected by the bill, meaning set ups like the “Jacqui Lambie Network”, wouldn’t be impacted.

Senator Jacqui Lambie and Kennedy MP Bob Katter have joined forces before. Picture: Alix Sweeney

Mr Katter and Senator Lambie believe the “oligarchs” of Australian politics that is the Liberal National Coalition government and the Labor Party were “inhibiting democracy” with the laws.

Senator Lambie called for the Labor Party to decide where it stands on the “power grab”.

“We’re not a two-party country any more, and you can’t just rewrite the rules to try and turn back the clock,” she said.

“It’s a smackdown to the one in three Australians who don’t support major parties.”

Assistant Minister Electoral Matters Ben Morton said in parliament the law aimed to ensure “registered political parties are built on a genuine foundation of community support”.

If passed non-parliamentary minor parties would have three months to find an extra 1000 members.

Non-parliamentary parties will have three months after the bill passes to get the extra 1,000 members.

Other electoral reform laws introduced include shortening the pre-poll period from three weeks to 12 days and allowing for pre-poll ballot papers to be opened and sorted before voting shuts to make counting on election night speedier.

Another change, already under fire from activist and lobby groups, would reduce the amount an individual or organisation could spend on electoral matters before they were required to register as a political campaigner to $100,000, from the current $500,000.